The Amsterdam Olympics of 1928 were held in an atmosphere of peace and harmony, possibly best exemplified by the
experience of Australian rower Henry Pearce who, midway through his quarterfinal race, stopped rowing to allow a family of ducks to pass
single file in front of his boat. Despite this, Pearce won both the heat and the gold medal!

The International 12 Foot dinghy class was used for the first Olympic individual sailing event which was held at Durgerdam in the south-west
corner of the Zuider Zee using boats supplied by the host nation.

Twenty competitors took part in the regatta which was won by Sven Thorell from Uppsala, Sweden.
Thorell was a well known designer and builder of sailing canoes. He was subsequently involved in the adoption of the Finn dinghy as an Olympic class.

Manfred Curry, who later gained fame for his books on yachting and aerodynamics, participated in the event and finished in the middle of the fleet.

Sven Thorell(1888-1974)

12' DINGHY - MEDAL TABLE

Gold

Sven Thorell

Sweden

Silver

Henrik Robert

Norway

Bronze

Bertil Broman

Finland

Source: International Olympics Committee

Durgerdam 1928

1928 Olympics - qualifying rounds

contestant

country

sail no

day 1

day 2

day 3

day 4

points

time

pos.

time

pos.

time

pos.

time

pos.

J.J.Anderson

Denmark

1

01:49:06

2

01:19:51

4

01:16:55

4

01:23:17

4

14

R.Ellis Brown

S. Africa

2

01:54:55

7

01:19:12

3

DNS

10

DNS

10

30

H.Robert

Norway

3

01:48:49

1

01:24:57

5

01:10:50

3

01:19:29

1

10

E.Barral

Monaco

4

DNF

10

withdrew

10

-

-

-

-

-

E.Beyn

Germany

5

01:51:27

3

01:17:33

2

01:04:56

1

01:20:00

3

9

T. Nordio

Italy

6

01:52:47

5

01:19:27

4

01:05:00

2

01:24:50

3

14

S.Amat Cansino

Spain

7

01:52:51

6

01:26:01

6

DNS

10

01:26:41

7

29

Ch.J.F.LaverneL.A.M.Pauly

France

8

DNF

10

01:25:30

7

DNF

6

01:28:30

6

29

R.Uhl

Hungary

9

01:52:38

4

capsized

10

01:39:56

5

01:25:25

5

24

A.KrzyzanowskiA.Wolff

Poland

10

01:57:41

8

01:29:13

8

DNS

10

01:29:57

7

33

S.G.Thorell

Sweden

11

02:08:35

6

01:16:56

1

00:39:47

1

01:19:36

2

10

R.Winter

Cz.Slov.

12

02:13:37

10

capsized

10

00:52:51

6

01:37:51

34

H.Fivaz

Switzerland

13

02:10:28

8

01:32:36

7

damaged

7

01:26:14

6

28

H.R.GaydonG.Fowler

Gr.Britain

14

02:06:01

5

01:25:22

6

00:40:27

2

01:26:13

5

18

L.Huybrechts

Belgium

15

02:03:33

2

capsized

10

00:48:56

4

hit no.3

9

28

M.Curry

U.S.A

16

02:04:19

3

01:20:15

5

00:46:57

3

01:25:46

4

15

R.Johanny

Austria

17

02:10:33

9

DNF

10

DNF

10

DNS

10

39

R.Broman

Finland

18

02:01:47

1

01:17:13

2

DNF

10

01:23:54

1

14

K.Classen

Latvia

19

02:09:20

7

01:19:38

3

00:49:15

5

01:27:56

8

23

W.de VriesLentsch

Holland

20

02:04:34

4

01:14:58

1

DNF

10

01:24:00

2

17

key:

group 1

group 2

DNS-did not start

DNF-did not finish

1928 Olympics - finals

contestant

country

sail no

day 5

day 6

race 1

race 2

race 1

race 2

time

pos.

time

pos.

time

pos.

time

pos.

J.J.Anderson

Denmark

1

01:19:32

5

01:24:37

8

DNS

10

DNS

10

H.Robert

Norway

3

01:19:13

2

01:20:56

1

01:39:27

4

01:32:17

3

E.Beyn

Germany

5

01:19:29

4

01:22:27

4

01:39:54

6

01:35:49

7

T.Nordio

Italy

6

DNF

10

01:21:58

2

01:37:32

3

01:33:35

5

S.G.Thorell

Sweden

11

01:18:55

1

01:21:59

3

01:36:09

1

01:32:16

2

H.R.GaydonG.Fowler

Gr.Britain

14

01:19:49

6

01:23:45

5

hit no.3

8

01:32:44

4

M.Curry

U.S.A.

16

DNF

10

01:24:31

7

DNS

10

DNS

10

B.Broman

Finland

18

01:19:28

3

01:24:53

9

01:36:46

2

01:35:42

6

K.Classen

Latvia

19

01:21:11

8

01:25:24

10

01:42:39

7

01:38:03

8

W.de VriesLentsch

Holland

20

01:20:03

7

01:24:07

6

01:39:41

5

01:28:50

1

The medal winners: from left to right, Sven Thorell, Henrik Robert and Bertil Broman

1928 Olympics - results

contestant

country

position

S.G.Thorell

Sweden

GOLD

H.Robert

Norway

SILVER

B.Broman

Finland

BRONZE

W.de Vries Lentsch

Holland

4

E.Beyn

Germany

5

T.Nordio

Italy

6

J.J.Anderson

Denmark

7

H.R.Gaydon / G.Fowler

Gr.Britain

8

L.Huybrechts

Belgium

9

see below

M.Curry

U.S.A.

10

K.Classen

Latvia

11

see below

R.Ellis Brown

S. Africa

12

R.Uhl

Hungary

13

Ch.J.F.Laverne / L.A.M.Pauly

France

=14

S.Amat Cansino

Spain

=14

H.Fivaz

Switzerland

16

R.Winter

Cz.Slov.

17

A.Krzyzanowski / A.Wolff

Poland

18

R.Johanny

Austria

19

E.Barral

Monaco

20

NB: Final positions were determined by counting the number of first, second, third, fourth etc.
places obtained by each contestant in all of the races. Consequently Belgium finished in ninth place, despite not having qualified for the 'finals',
thanks to having finished second in the first race in group 2.